Posted on 04/29/2004 9:12:46 PM PDT by yonif
Youssef Ali Mohammed Kamil, the terrorist who is interviewed, claims to have been arrested before carrying out a genocidal attack on a Jewish community near the city of Jenin.
Kamil, a 21-year-old freshman at Al-Najah University, explained in the interview published on Islam-Online.net why he sought to give his life in order to kill Jews – citing reasons contrary to the ‘despair model’ often cited by proponents of various ‘peace plans’.
The following are excepts of the interview, which can be viewed in full at IslamOnline.
Sulaiman Besharat (interviewer): Could you describe your life – socially, professionally, educationally; is it a successful life and are you ready to give it up to serve your cause?
Ali Mohammed Kamil: Thanks to Allah, I lead a happy life, full of love and success. I am a university student and during my school years I also worked with my father and brothers in the fields. As a student I have always been successful; when I got my high school diploma I enrolled in the Najah University in the faculty of Shari`ah (Islamic Law) and have an excellent grade point average.
As for the second part of your question, I say we are a Muslim Ummah, we believe strongly that the real life is the afterlife, and the worldly life is but a transitional period. When we seek martyrdom then the real life begins with it –eternal happiness in the life that Allah has promised us in the Glorious Qur’an.
Besharat: Do you think of any other alternative to “martyr operations”? As a Palestinian, don’t you think that being successful in your studies and in life would serve the Palestinian cause better?
Kamil: Every one knows that these operations have become the most effective weapon of this helpless people. It is the only strategic weapon that has achieved a balance of fear and deterrence; we have transformed dust into explosive materials, and gunpowder to arms. These operations have rendered our enemy sleepless and hit their economy hard. As for putting down our arms, this is not going to happen as long as the enemy continues his oppression against our land and our people.
Besharat: Do you count your life as something precious, and if so, how can you give it up?
Kamil: Of course anyone thinks of his life as very precious, and I am no different. My life is the most precious thing in the entire world, especially as there is a bright future that awaits me, but as I already said, this life is gladly given up for a better goal, that of freeing our land and the resuscitation of this Ummah after such long suffering.
Besharat: How can you explain the new trend among the thousands of young Palestinians regarding “martyrdom”?
Kamil: There are so many reasons: one is the will to resist, every Palestinian citizen who sees what our people is subjected to has no choice but to struggle. It is his human right to stop his oppressor, although the world has adopted a policy of silence. In addition, our society holds the martyr in the highest place.
Besharat: What is your response to some Western analysts who claim that the propagation of martyrs is due to depression as a result of the Israeli violence?
Kamil: It is worth pointing out that all statistics and studies on the subject of martyrs have revealed that the majority of them are university students and some are doing graduate work, most of them come from the middle class and some from the upper class, so it is not out of depression or out of poverty that they are driven to martyrdom.
In conclusion, our people believe in their cause and are certain of the victory we have been promised. I say to all these analysts that we don’t look at life only from its materialistic aspect as you do, but we take it as a path to the eternal one, and if we cannot live this life with dignity then it is not worth living.
Arutz-7’s Ezra HaLevi noted that Kamil’s statements contradict the leading Western theories regarding Islam and the war against terrorism. “It is being proven over and over again that despair and the lack of material goods and financial opportunity are not what causes genocidal terrorism – but a dangerous cult which bears the immunity of being considered one of the ‘major world religions’ and therefore cannot be properly identified in a politically correct environment,” said HaLevi. “Fortunately, we now have people who translate Arabic and can therefore rely on members of this cult to explain all this to the world on their own.”
Interview with a Would-be Suicide Bomber
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By Sulaiman Bsharat |
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29/04/2004 |
Youssef Ali Mohammed Kamil is a Palestinian who was arrested before carrying out a suicide bomb attack in a settlement near the city of Jenin, Palestine. In an exclusive interview to IslamOnline, Kamil, a 21-year-old freshman at Al-Najah University, explains why he is willing to give up his life in a “martyr operation.”
* Suliman Besharat: Why do you want to sacrifice your own life?
- Youssef Kamil: First, I want to sacrifice my life because it is a religious obligation, prescribed by Allah on every Muslim whose country is under oppression. This sacrifice is for His sake and everything else, save Him, has no value.
Second, martyrs have been promised distinction by Allah, I always wanted to be in the company of those privileged. The day I took up arms I knew I would not return. I would gladly give up my life in the way that would please Him best. The span of ones life is in the hands of Allah and apparently it is not time for me to go yet.
Third, one of the reasons that drove me is the state of my people and what they are subjugated to by the Israeli army: the constant killing, displacement and apprehension. Let our blood be the fuel that will revive this Ummah (community of Muslims) again. May the blood of every martyr be the beacon to all the freedom fighters in Palestine and the Islamic world in general.
* SB: Could you describe your life – socially, professionally, educationally; is it a successful life and are you ready to give it up to serve your cause?
- YK: Thanks to Allah, I lead a happy life, full of love and success. I am a university student and during my school years I also worked with my father and brothers in the fields. As a student I have always been successful; when I got my high school diploma I enrolled in the Nagah University in the faculty of Shari`ah (Islamic Law) and have an excellent grade point average.
As for the second part of your question, I say we are a Muslim Ummah, we believe strongly that the real life is the afterlife, and the worldly life is but a transitional period. When we seek martyrdom then the real life begins with it –eternal happiness in the life that Allah has promised us in the Glorious Qur’an.
* SB: Do you think of any other alternative to “martyr operations”? As a Palestinian, don’t you think that being successful in your studies and in life would serve the Palestinian cause better?
- YK: Every one knows that these operations have become the most effective weapon of this helpless people. It is the only strategic weapon that has achieved a balance of fear and deterrence; we have transformed dust into explosive materials, and gunpowder to arms. These operations have rendered our enemy sleepless and hit their economy hard. As for putting down our arms, this is not going to happen as long as the enemy continues his oppression against our land and our people.
Where was the voice of the free world and the United Nations when our people were displaced in 1948 and 1967? Not a word was uttered when our people were slaughtered in Deir Yassin, Sabra and Shatilla, Jerusalem and Galilee. Now that we have achieved this equilibrium of fear, the world is calling for the cessation of fire and an end to the bloodshed; they know quite well that resistance is an acknowledged right by convention as well as Divine and earthly laws.
As far as my study and my success is concerned, I say that this is not the way to look at things, if everyone thought the way you are suggesting, who would stand against the enemy of our people? The issue here is about balance; a group will face the enemy with the force of arguments and another with the force of weapons. Have you forgotten that the enemy has destroyed our centers of learning, and their policy of curfews and the barricading of entire cities are making our success impossible?
* SB: What is your answer to the saying “violence breeds violence”?
- YK: We do not call our struggle violence or terrorism; we are a people whose land has been confiscated. We were displaced; generations were born without rights or land. What the Israeli occupation is doing right now is what I call violence and terrorism.
* SB: Do you count your life as something precious, and if so, how can you give it up?
YK: Of course anyone thinks of his life as very precious, and I am no different. My life is the most precious thing in the entire world, especially as there is a bright future that awaits me, but as I already said, this life is gladly given up for a better goal, that of freeing our land and the resuscitation of this Ummah after such long suffering.
* SB: How can you explain the new trend among the thousands of young Palestinians regarding “martyrdom”?
- YK: There are so many reasons: one is the will to resist, every Palestinian citizen who sees what our people is subjected to has no choice but to struggle. It is his human right to stop his oppressor, although the world has adopted a policy of silence. In addition, our society holds the martyr in the highest place.
* SB: What is your response to some Western analysts who claim that the propagation of martyrs is due to depression as a result of the Israeli violence?
- YK: It is worth pointing out that all statistics and studies on the subject of martyrs have revealed that the majority of them are university students and some are doing graduate work, most of them come from the middle class and some from the upper class, so it is not out of depression or out of poverty that they are driven to martyrdom.
In conclusion, our people believe in their cause and are certain of the victory we have been promised. I say to all these analysts that we don’t look at life only from its materialistic aspect as you do, but we take it as a path to the eternal one, and if we cannot live this life with dignity then it is not worth living.
Sulaiman Bsharat is a Palestinian journalist and researcher. http://www.islam-online.net/english/Views/2004/04/article08a.shtml
Every time that they blow innocents up with their murderous bombs in the name of Allah; they are making a blood sacrifice to their god.
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